


Burning in the Skies

by Pariscores



Series: Pariscores' StarkBucks Bingo 2020 [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Federal Agents, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Police, Banter, Because Ya Know, Breaking and Entering, Case Fic, Child Death, Developing Relationship, FBI Agent Tony, First Meetings, Heavy Rain AU, I am not a weatherman, M/M, Many Inaccuracies, Murder, Nicknames, Not So Meet-Cute, Partners in Crime, References to Norse Religion & Lore, Serial Killers, Which Are Inaccurate, Which I do Not Condone, so many nicknames
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:28:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23819233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pariscores/pseuds/Pariscores
Summary: “You said it took six inches of rainfall before the victim died. How much time do we have left?”If that isn’t the million-dollar question. Swallowing thickly, Tony replies, “if the weather forecasts are right… we have less than 72 hours.”There is an immediate drop in the atmosphere as his words sink in. There is a silent tension, everyone in the room sharing glances with each other with a collective understanding of just how dire the situation is.Less than 72 hours. Less than 3 days to find a man that no one has been able to capture in two years.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Series: Pariscores' StarkBucks Bingo 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1761820
Comments: 15
Kudos: 174
Collections: StarkBucksBingo2020





	1. Crime Scene

**Author's Note:**

> Heavy Rain is one of my all-time favorite video games, and Winteriron is one of my favorite ships, so that's how this came to be...

**_ Sunday _ **

**_ 7:30 AM_ **

**_ 0.680 inches _ **

* * *

He hates this goddamn rain. 

Tony has only been in New York for three hours and all he has felt is _wet_. Fucking _wet_ and _cold_. 

_‘Why couldn’t this shit be happening in Florida? Or Arizona? Or literally anywhere that wouldn’t have me freezing my ass off?!’_

He sighs as he parks his car and leans back into the seat, closing his eyes as he listens to the swishing of the windshield wipers and patter of rain hitting the surface, and braces himself for the onslaught that he is going to face once he steps onto that crime scene.

_‘I can do this. I just have to walk out there, find Sergeant Barnes, and inspect the scene. I can so do this!’_

Tony blindly reaches out for his coffee mug that rests in the cup holder and brings it to his lips, chugging the remainder of it. He grimaces slightly, the coffee now as cold as the rest of the damn city, and returns the mug to its original spot. Opening his eyes, Tony turns the ignition off and steps out of his car.

Back into the pouring rain. _Great_.

Patting his pocket to ensure that his glasses are in there, Tony slams the door shut and proceeds towards the array of bright, glowing blue and red lights that are currently blinding him. At this point, he just wants to get this over with so that he could hopefully get out of the rain. 

But of course, life could never be that simple as he is stopped by an officer before he could cross the yellow police tape. 

“I’m sorry.” He did not look the least bit. “But you are not permitted to enter.”

Sighing, Tony pulls out his ID and flashes it to the officer. “Agent Tony Stark, FBI. I was assigned this case along with Sergeant Barnes.” He sees the exact moment their attitude turns sour, but nonetheless, the officer steps aside and allows Tony access.

Ducking under the line, Tony continues on his way. The quiet mutter of _‘Fucking Feds,_ ’ doesn’t escape his notice, and he rolls his eyes yet stays quiet and pretends he didn’t hear anything. He knows he’s going to have to get used to it anyways. Not many police officers take too kindly to a Federal agent in their neck of the woods. Let alone one that is here to solve a case as big as this one.

Tony rubs his hands together and carefully steps over a rather large puddle, eyes scanning the scene. At first glance, there isn’t much. Just a tent propped up over what he assumes is the body, and numerous officers scattered. He knows he has to find Barnes and resigns himself to asking around because there is no way he’s going to be able to pinpoint exactly who he is. There was no file, or even picture, given to him. Just a name and simple _‘good luck.’_

(He could just have JARVIS hack into his file, but, well, where’s the fun in that?)

He makes his way towards the closest officer and steels himself for what is sure to be an unwelcome conversation. 

“Excuse me?” Fuck, he _really_ hates this. “I’m Agent Tony Stark. I’m looking for Sergeant Barnes. Do you know where he is?” Straight and to the point.

The man looks up from his tablet and eyes Tony suspiciously. 

Well, it seems that Tony really _shouldn’t_ be getting his hopes up. This is fine.

But then, the officer gives a small smile and makes eye contact with Tony. “Oh yeah! I heard something about the FBI sending someone.” Huh, that was unexpected. “Sergeant Barnes arrived about fifteen minutes ago, so he’s somewhere around here. Sorry I can’t tell you where.”

Tony feels himself smiling back. “That’s okay, I’m sure I can manage. Thank you, Officer,” he squints at the other man’s name tag, “Wilson.”

“It’s no problem,” Wilson says, still keeping up his positive attitude. “I guess I’ll see you around.”

Tony nods. “I guess you will.” Officer Wilson flashes him one last smile before turning back to whatever he was reading on his tablet.

Satisfied with the interaction, Tony steps away from the other man and continues his search for Barnes. He subtly takes his sunglasses out from his coat pocket and slips them on, and his vision is immediately swarmed by lines of virtual text and soft blue light.

“You with me JARVIS?”

“For you Sir? Always,” the AI replies, and Tony smiles as his current mission objectives pop up in the corner, with the priority being _‘FIND SERGEANT BARNES’_ in bold red letters. Underneath that is a secondary task reading ‘ _INVESTIGATE CRIME SCENE.’_

He swipes the air in front of him, dismissing the objectives for now. “JARVIS, record a memo,” he says, gaze sweeping around the scene. “Agent 050808, Tony Stark. Sunday, July 17, 2016. The time is... 7:36 am.” God, he hopes no one is staring at him thinking he's a lunatic for talking to seemingly no one.

Tony proceeds to wander the area, discreetly scanning each new face he could see with the hope of finding his soon-to-be ‘partner.’

Eventually (fucking _finally_ ), he finds the man leaning on a fence speaking to another officer. JARVIS immediately pulls up both men’s information.

_DET. ROGERS, STEVEN GRANT_

_Born: 07/04/1989 // Police Detective_

_Criminal Record: None_

Tony moves on to the next file when he confirms that this man isn’t Barnes.

_SGT. BARNES, JAMES BUCHANAN_

_Born: 03/10/1988 // Police Sergeant_

_Criminal Record: None_

_Famil-_

Tony stops reading and swipes the information away. The Sergeant’s personal life isn’t important at the moment, but he is slightly amused by what he reads. _James Buchanan_. 

Tony approaches the other man and - wow, okay. He is _very much_ attractive. He clears his throat and introduces himself. “Sergeant Barnes? My name is Tony Stark from the FBI.” Barnes does not look impressed. In fact, he looks annoyed by Tony’s very presence. A _great_ start. “I went by your office earlier this morning but they said you were already here.” 

The Sergeant glances towards Detective Rogers. “Great,” he says, “now we’ve got the Feds’ on our back.” Barnes turns back to Tony. “What d’ya want with me?”

Brooklyn. Definitely Brooklyn. _Nice_. Tony really shouldn’t be finding this man as attractive as he currently is.

“I was sent to help with the Origami Killer investigation. I was assigned as your partner to assist both you and the department with this case,” replies Tony, trying not to let the other’s tone (and _face_ ) affect him. It turned out to be easier said than done.

“Well, I don’t need any assistance. 'Specially not from some bureaucratic asshole like you.” Tony can feel his eye twitch, and he was glad that he hadn’t taken his glasses off. “So why don’t you just fuck off.” 

First off, _rude_. He will not be treated like this, no matter how hot this man is.

Tony has to resist the urge to groan. “You know, I’m afraid I can’t do that. I was assigned this case, and I _will_ see to it. _Whatever it takes_ .” This is going to be a long case. “But I _apologize_ for bothering you. I’ll go ahead and see what I can find here and then take my leave.” Tony turns away from him. “I’ll see you later at the precinct where we can further discuss details.” With that, he leaves the other man.

Before he could take more than two steps away he hears Barnes let out a hard sigh and mutter _‘fucking hell.’_

“Hold up,” Barnes says, making Tony pause and turn back to face the Sergeant. “I’ll go with you.” He pushes himself off of the fence and steps past Tony towards the white tent placed in the middle of the scene.

Smirking at the Sergeant’s shift in attitude, Tony nods at Detective Rogers and turns to follow Barnes. 

“Good luck with him!” Tony glances behind him and sees Rogers smiling back at him. “You’ll need it!” From the corner of his eye, he can see Barnes glare at the other detective.

Tony just smiles, and replies, “thanks for the warning.”

Once he catches up to the other man, Tony squats next to him to examine the body. JARVIS scans the victim’s face and pulls up their private information.

_SPENCER, CHARLIE_

_Born: 10/04/2006 // 7th Grade Student_

_Criminal Record: None_

_Family:_

  * _Miriam Spencer (Mother)_


  * _Arthur Spencer (Father)_



_Additional Notes:_

  * _Declared Missing Five Days Ago_


  * _Time of Death: 1:48 am_


  * _Cause of Death: Drowned_


  * _No Marks Left on Body_


  * _Lines Up With Other Victims’ Deaths_



“Charlie Spencer, declared missing five days ago.” Tony turns and looks at Barnes. “The time of death seems to have been at around two in the morning and the cause is from drowning.”

“Well shit, looks like we have a name now,” Barnes sighs, then shakes his head. “How’d ya’ know any of that anyway?”

Tony spoke with no hesitation. “I’m sorry Sergeant, but that is classified information.” Sort of.

“Figures,” Barnes scoffs and rolls his eyes. "Is there anything you _can_ tell me?"

"His parents are Arthur and Miriam Spencer and their current address is 351 West 121st Street."

Barnes sighs and nods his head. "Alright, I'll get someone to contact his parents." He glances behind him. “I’m not sure how much you can find that isn’t already on record by now,” he states, pushing himself up, “but go ahead and check it out while I look around some more. Find me when you’re done and don’t do anything stupid. Got it?”

“Your faith in me is _outstanding_.” 

Barnes rolls his eyes with a scoff, but Tony can see the slight quirk of his lips as he makes his way towards the nearby train tracks, leaving Tony to his own business. 

Huh. Maybe he _does_ have a chance.

Turning his attention back to the victim, Tony began to record his findings. “JARVIS, comment. The victim is lying on his back, no visible signs of violence.” He raises his gloved hand and a stream of information instantly appears. There are three separate files to view, so he decides to start from the top where a flower rests on the body.

Tony runs his finger along the stem as JARVIS analyzes the flower type as well as the time of placement.

 _‘An orchid was positioned on the victim’s chest less than seven hours ago,’_ he notes.

Moving on to the next file, Tony reaches out to examine the object in the victim’s hand. It was some sort of figure, a dog. 

_‘A small origami figure in the right hand. Their fingers were probably closed after the time of death.’_

Tony turns his head towards the last file on the victim’s leg and extends his hand towards it. There’s a tear on Charlie’s pants and a small amount of blood gathering around it.

“JARVIS, pull an analysis of the victim’s wound.”

“Of course Sir.”

“Superficial wound on the right thigh, blood analysis suggests it could be post-mortem. Probably a scratch that occurred when the body was being moved.” Tony pushes himself up to stand in front of the tent. 

“The blood report indicates an advanced and long-lasting state of exhaustion,” JARVIS comments.

Glancing back at Charlie Spencer’s face, Tony makes one last note. “His face is covered with mud,” he says and crosses his arms over his chest. “Just like the other victims,” Tony adds quietly. Sighing, Tony slides the curtain back into place, effectively hiding the body from view once more. 

Tony has JARVIS run a scan of the surrounding area in hopes of finding any more evidence that could help him solve this case. Immediately, multiple files emerge scattered around the scene. 

He chooses to start with the closest one to him, seeming to be a DNA sample. Crouching next to it, he hovers his hand over the sample but is disappointed when it turns out to be nothing of use. 

_OFC. BARTON, CLINTON FRANCIS_

_Born: 01/07/1980 // Police Officer_

_Criminal Record: None_

“JARVIS, comment: Sample of no interest, it belongs to one of the officers present on the wasteland.” 

Tony ends up finding several other samples, each ending with the same result: Unrelated to the investigation. Frustrated with his lack of progress, Tony makes his way towards the railroad tracks and tries interfacing with the area once more. 

Luck seems to be on his side as JARVIS picks up a trail leading from the victim’s body, and he is quick, almost eager, to analyze it. He approaches the light blue trail that JARVIS highlighted, which coincidentally matches the color of Barnes’ eyes and- _no_. Nope. Now is not the time.

… Maybe later. _Fuck_ , he has it bad already.

Tony shakes his head and focuses back on the task at hand.

_Flower Pollen_

_Phalaenopsis Partense Orchid_

_Less Than Seven Hours_

“Some Orchid pollen,” Tony mumbled, eyebrows furrowing. “JARVIS, note that the concentration of pollen in the air is quickly decreasing because of the rain, but it gets higher in the direction of the body.” He follows the trail to as far as it goes which, to his dismay, turns out to not be very far. “The pollen particles disappear in the tall grass… It’s probably the end of the trail.” 

“I am afraid that it is Sir,” JARVIS replies, and Tony sighs. Of course it is.

There turns out to be another DNA sample on the railroad tracks. There is also a set of footprints a little ways off. But Tony tells himself not to get his hopes up, as it could likely be from one of the patrolling officers. 

As Tony begins to get closer to the sample, it begins to become more recognizable. At least, he hopes it does for the sake of this investigation and his confidence. Crouching down, Tony sets to examine his new finding. “JARVIS, there are traces of blood on the railroad track. And your analysis confirms it comes from the victim.” Suddenly, the footprints seem like a promising lead and Tony moves to inspect them. 

_‘The footprints continue just after the pollen trail. The probability of them being the killers is around 76 percent.’_

“JARVIS, what’s the probability that the footprints belong to the killer?”

“Around 76 percent, Sir.”

_‘Heh. Knew it.’_

The footprint trail continues towards a nearby fence, and Tony’s spirits lift even higher when another DNA file appears. “JARVIS, there are traces of blood on the fence behind the railroad line. It comes from Charlie Spencer. The killer came this way with the body and probably grazed it on his way through the fence.” Tony gazes at the slope behind the fence, knowing that if he wants more information, he’s going to have to climb.

...And most likely fall on his ass, but what can you do? So he sighs and starts climbing and totally _does not_ slip on the way up. Or trip over a stick. He _does not._

Finally, Tony reaches the top and is met with the sound of blaring car horns and bright headlights coming from the highway. He has JARVIS interface with the area once more and the rest of the footprint trail appears, highlighted with a bright yellow color. (Thank _God_ it isn’t blue this time.) A notification pops up, claiming that the prints match those he found by the tracks. 

A little way up is a pair of large indents in the mud, and Tony scans them. “There are tire tracks on the side of the road behind the railroad line. Probability of them belonging to the killer’s car is... 84 percent.” Seeing that the tracks lead back to the highway, Tony turns away and heads back down to the scene, convinced that he has seen everything there is to see.

The real problem comes from having to get back down. Tony weighs his options, yet concludes that he’s going to have to slide down, and not fall on his face. _Great_. 

Bracing himself, Tony decides to just get it over with. He uses his left foot to push himself off and glides down the hill. He stumbles a couple of times on the way down but fortunately sticks the landing. 

He brushes some stray specks of mud off of his coat and decides to meet up back with the Sergeant since he’s found all that he can. 

Fortunately, Barnes is easier to find than last time as he is waiting by the entrance of the wasteland. 

“Found everything you need?” Barnes asks, looking Tony up and down. 

Tony nods in response. “Yep, I think I’ve found sufficient evidence.”

“Great, because I’m freezing my ass off and I want to get out of this damn rain as soon as possible.” 

“It’s not _that_ bad Barnes,” Tony says as if he hadn’t been whining about the weather earlier. 

Barnes huffs and starts heading towards the exit. “I’m gonna pretend you didn’t just say that.”

“What’s wrong Sergeant? Can’t handle a little rain?” Tony teases, falling into step beside him.

“It’s fucking pouring out here.”

“Are you worried it’s going to mess up your hair?”

“Are you ever going to stop talking?” Barnes deadpans, shooting Tony an unimpressed look.

Tony grins up at him. “Probably not, no.”

“So I’m stuck with a chatterbox? As in, I can’t trade you in for a quieter Fed?”

“First off, that’s rude Sergeant. I am one of the best the Bureau has to offer. Second, yes. You are stuck with little old me.”

Barnes stops walking and turns to look Tony up and down. “Well, you’ve got the little part right.”

“Sergeant Barnes, _I am offended_ !” Tony gasps. “The audacity! I’ll have you know that I am a perfectly _average_ height! I am!”

With a smirk, Barnes says, “yeah, keep tellin’ yourself that doll,” and starts walking again. Tony won’t admit that his face flushes at the term of endearment. 

Barnes glances at Tony over his shoulder and calls out, “and enough with the ‘ _Sergeant Barnes_ ’ shit. Just call me Bucky.” He winks at Tony before turning his head back.

Tony watches him in stunned silence before a grin plasters itself on his face. “I’ll meet you back at the precinct!” Tony yells after the other man.

“Whatever!” 

Oh yeah, Tony _definitely_ might have a chance.

Taking one last look at the scene before him, Tony follows the Serg _-Bucky_ and makes his way back to his vehicle. 

This is going to be one _hell_ of a case.

 _‘_ _But,’_ Tony thinks to himself. _‘At least Bucky will make it interesting.'_


	2. Welcome, Tony!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Sergeant Barnes? Barnes? Bucky? Buckster? Buckaroo? Barnes and Noble?” Nothing. “Come on! I’m running out of names here,” Tony whines.
> 
> Bucky scoffs and swivels his chair so that he’s facing Tony. “Are all Feds’ this talkative, or is it jus’ you?”
> 
> “I’m pretty special, what can I say?”
> 
> “More like pretty annoying,” Bucky snarks back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for Starkbucks Bingo 2020!
> 
> Title: Burning In The Skies  
> Collaborator Name: Pariscores  
> Square Filled: N3 - Free Space  
> Ship/Main Pairing: Winteriron  
> Rating: T  
> Major Tags & Triggers: Heavy Rain AU, Serial Killers, No Powers, Police, Federal Agents, Child Death  
> Summary: “Sergeant Barnes? Barnes? Bucky? Buckster? Buckaroo? Barnes and Noble?” Nothing. “Come on! I’m running out of names here,” Tony whines.
> 
> Bucky scoffs and swivels his chair so that he’s facing Tony. “Are all Feds’ this talkative, or is it jus’ you?”
> 
> “I’m pretty special, what can I say?”
> 
> “More like pretty annoying,” Bucky snarks back.
> 
> Word Count: 3,152

**_Sunday_ **

**_2:26 PM_ **

**_1.326 inches_ **

* * *

Tony is sure he’s going to die of boredom.

He’s sitting in a really uncomfortable plastic chair, and has been waiting for Captain Fury to let him into his office for what has to have been _hours._

So, he was going to die of boredom.

With a groan, Tony leans his head back to bump against the wall behind him. He reaches into his coat pocket to fish out his sunglasses and slips them on. His vision is immediately flooded with information as JARVIS’ voice greets him.

“J, tell me. How long have I been waiting? Five hours? Seven? _More?_ ”

“It appears that you have been waiting for a grand total of 20 minutes, Sir. A new record.” JARVIS replies.

“Okay, you can cut back on the sass, or you _will_ find yourself donated to a community college!”

“I look forward to it as always, Sir.”

Tony rolls his eyes and mutters a quiet goodbye to JARVIS before taking the glasses off. Unfortunately for him, his conversation had garnered a few heads turned to him, with one of them being Sergeant Barnes.

Great. Now he knows Barnes is going to add _weird_ to the probable long lost of traits against Tony.

Tony meets Barnes- _Bucky’s_ gaze and winks. Bucky just raises an eyebrow, seemingly unimpressed, before rolling his eyes and turning back towards his terminal. But Tony caught the small quirk of Barnes’ lips as the other man tries to suppress a smile.

So, he’ll count it as a win, and promise that not _all_ hope is lost.

Tony sighs and turns towards the Captain’s secretary. “Excuse me, Miss,” he squints to read the nameplate on her desk, “Hill? Do you know when the Captain’s going to be available?”

“Nope,” she answers, not even looking at him, which okay, was _rude._

He closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Wow, _thanks._ ”

“No problem.”

“I bet you’re fun at parties.”

“Absolutely wild.”

Tony can’t help the snort of laughter that escapes him and pushes himself to stand. He might as well explore the precinct, maybe get a cup of coffee. Or annoy Bucky some more. Whichever comes first, really.

He decides on the coffee, and makes his way towards the break room. Tony is just about to pass Hill’s desk when a glint of gold catches his eye. He stops to examine it, a plain watch next to a basket with a sign that reads ‘ _For Phil’s Promotion Present.’_

“Huh. Nice watch.”

Hill looks up at him _for the first time_ . “It’s something we do for every lieutenant promotion. It’s the same watch every year,” she explains. “You _could_ contribute to our fund, we’re only a few bucks short.”

You know, it might have been the way she said it, or just Tony’s own willingness to lend a hand that made him feel as if he had no choice. He suppresses a groan as he pulls out his wallet and fishes out a twenty to add to the basket. “Congratulate Phil for me, will ya’.” 

“Sure.” And just like that, he’s ignored again. Okay, wow, he only feels _slightly_ used.

With a huff, Tony continues to the break room and spots the coffee machine which admittedly, looks like it has seen better days. Shrugging to himself, Tony reaches for the pot and pours himself a cup. It’s what’s on the _inside_ that matters.

He cradles the cup in his hands, savoring the warmth that radiates from it, before taking a sip.

Apparently, the inside is as disgusting as the outside because that shit tastes _awful_. 

With a grimace, Tony heads to the nearby sink and dumps the remaining liquid down the drain, cursing the unfairness of it all. He’s kept waiting for hours and _now_ he can’t even get a decent cup of coffee.

This really isn’t his morning.

Tony tosses the cup into the trash and makes his way to Bucky’s terminal. Maybe he can get the other man to warm up to him. They _are_ going to be spending a lot of time together anyways, and he knows his flirting will only get him so far. Or punched. It’s a bit of a toss up.

He stops beside Bucky’s desk and firmly taps on the wood to get the man’s attention. He sees Barnes’ eyes shift towards him before looking back to his computer, ignoring him. Okay then. He tries again.

“Sergeant Barnes? Barnes? Bucky? Buckster? Buckaroo? Barnes and Noble?” Nothing. “Come on! I’m running out of names here,” Tony whines.

Bucky scoffs and swivels his chair so that he’s facing Tony. “Are all Feds’ this talkative, or is it jus’ you?”

“I’m pretty special, what can I say?”

“More like pretty annoying,” Bucky snarks back.

Tony gasps and drops himself to sit at the corner of Bucky’s desk. “I’m hurt! Tell me, is everyone in this precinct rude, or is it just you?” Tony squints. “And Fury’s secretary.”

“Nah, it’s everyone.”

“It’s just them!” Another voice exclaims. They both turn towards the new addition, Bucky’s expression tinged with annoyance while Tony just looks amused.

“Are you eavesdropping Stevie?” Bucky drawls, crossing his arms over his chest.

With a grin, Steve says, “Nope, you’re just being loud.”

“Punk.”

“Jerk.”

“I feel excluded,” Tony complains, pouting slightly. “You could at least introduce me, Buckaroo.”

“Don’t call me that,” Bucky groans. “And this punk is Steve. You’ll see more of his ugly mug in the upcoming days.”

Tony grins and waves at Steve. “Tony Stark.” He takes a moment to look Steve up and down, humming appreciatively. “And I absolutely would not say _ugly_ , Buckster.”

“And unfortunately for you, he’s taken.”

“Well, that’s just a shame, isn’t it?”

The two laugh as Steve’s face turns red while he tries to stutter out a reply.

“Agent Stark.”

“ _Jesus Christ!_ ” Tony yelps as he and Bucky both jump at the voice. They turn around and Tony is faced with the man who he assumes is Captain Fury, and _holy shit is that an eyepatch?_

“Uh, hi?” Wow, he has such a way with words.

Fury just raises an eyebrow, and sweeps his gaze between Tony and Bucky. “I see you’ve met Sergeant Barnes.”

“Yep,” Tony answers at the same time Bucky replies, “yes sir.”

“Right.” Fury nods, his gaze landing back to Tony. “As you know, you’re to be partners for the Origami Killer case. Work together, get this solved, be efficient. Barnes will fill you in. Am I clear?”

“Absolutely…” And because Tony has _no sense_ of self preservation, he adds, “I’m sorry, I don't want to get off on the wrong foot but do I look at the patch or the eye? Ow!” Tony winces and rubs his arm after Barnes punched him.

To his surprise, Fury just smirks and turns around. “Looks like you two will get along just fine,” Fury says, and heads back to his office. “Hill will show you to your office, Stark. Get to it.”

Once he’s gone, Tony glares at Bucky, still rubbing his arm. “You hit hard.”

Bucky snorts. “Yeah, well I was tryin’ to get ya’ to shut it.” 

“You’re just mean.”

“Got it in one.”

“Fine” Tony sniffs, “I’ll just go ask the rude secretary to show me to my office now.”

“Have fun.”

“You know what, I’m sure I will.” Tony pushes himself off of Bucky’s desk and backs away from him. “See ya’ later, Sergeant Meanie!”

“Whatever, Agent Dumbass!”

“Real clever,” Tony drawls.

“Just get going before Fury has both of our asses.”

Tony raises his hands in a mock surrender. “Alright, alright. I’m going,” he grumbles and strides over to Hill’s desk.

“Hey, it’s me again,” Tony says with a grin.

“Wonderful.” He chooses to ignore the sarcasm that tinges her speech.

“Captain Fury said you could show me to my office?”

She just sighs, and stands up. “Sure, follow me.” 

Hill leads him to a door that is only a couple steps away from her desk and opens it for him. A thoughtful gesture, he was sure. 

Tony walks into the room and takes a look around, nose wrinkling as the overwhelming scent of musk and dust surrounds him. The room is small, no bigger than a janitor’s closet. He doesn’t doubt that the room used to be one. There’s a desk and chair in the middle of the area and a filing cabinet pushed off into the corner. In front of the desk is an empty bulletin board. The only source of light in the room stems from the window strip close to the ceiling, so he knows that it’s going to be mostly dark in the room. 

He turns back to Fury’s secretary. “This is my office?”

She just shrugs. “It’s where I was told to take you.” She heads out of the room, and from over her shoulder calls back, “if you need anything, you know where to find me.” Then she’s gone, the door slamming shut behind her. 

Honestly, that woman is _such_ a delight.

Tony likes her.

_‘Well, I might as well check what I’ve got.’_

He pulls back the office chair and plops down on it, coughing as dust fills the air around him. Isn’t that just _great_? 

When the air clears up a little, Tony grabs his glasses out of his pocket and slips them on. “You with me JARVIS?”

The soft blue light floods his vision. “For you Sir? Always.”

“Great. Remind me to buy a feather duster, will ya’?”

“Or course,” Jarvis replies, amused with Tony’s request.

“Now.” Tony claps his hands together. “Pull up the clues we’ve got so far, J.” Immediately, folders of information pop up. There isn’t much, but he’ll work with what he’s got. “Let’s start with the tire tracks.” One of the folders opens up and he is met with a picture JARVIS captured of the tracks. “J, scan the tracks. Find the tire model, brand, car model, anything we could use.”

There’s a moment of silence before JARVIS projects his findings. “From what I can gather, the tire model is K239h, Tyron Brand. There is a 96% probability that the car model is a 1983 Chevrolet Malibu.” 

“1983?” Tony leans back. “That can’t be too hard to track down. What about the orchid that was found on Charlie Spencer's body?”

“A part of the orchid family, phalaenopsis. It is mainly used as a funeral flower, and is a symbol of innocence,” JARVIS resolves. “A fairly common species.”

Tony groans. “So, basically a roadblock.”

“I’m afraid so.”

“And the origami figure?”

“It appears to be a dog. There were no prints or specific clues that I scanned from it.”

“No specific clues,” Tony murmurs, a frown pulling at his lips. There must be something he can do… Wait. “JARVIS, scan for any origami shops within the city.”

“Certainly.” JARVIS pulls up a map, small blue dots glowing on it. “There are a total of four origami shops currently in New York.”

They are spaced out over the city, not exactly close to one another. “Go ahead and save that map, J.”

“Already done, Sir.”

“Okay, now let’s check up on what we know. Pull up everything that has to do with the Origami Killer. Victims, suspects, anything.” Another file pops up. “Eight victims in the last three years, all boys between ages nine and thirteen. No signs of violence, and they all disappear from public places in broad daylight. No one notices anything.” The lack of witnesses frustrates Tony the most. “The bodies are found five days later after being drowned in… rainwater.” Tony swipes through the photos taken at the various crime scenes. “There’s always a railroad near where the bodies are found, and all victims disappeared during the summer.” 

So, the killer likes to keep up a steady routine. That helps, if only just a little. “J, can you put the locations of where the bodies were found on a map?” One by one, little pins were presented onto a map of New York. And unfortunately, they didn’t seem to keep to a specific area. “That’s a large comfort zone,” Tony sighs. “Seems like he gained confidence and moved away from his base. He’s definitely not making this profiling any easier.” 

He flips through a few more files. “They’re all found the same way. An origami figure in one hand and orchid on the chest…They’ve all been dead for about six hours before being found.” Tony leans back in his chair and rubs his jaw. “Which means they were alive for several days before being drowned.” He crosses his arms over his chest. “Were there any leads to go on?”

“The local police recorded over 3,500 people to be questioned with more than 100 suspects interrogated. There was not a single lead to be found, Sir.”

Tony bit his lip. Not a _single_ one? Just who in the hell were they dealing with? “Do we have any idea who we could be looking for? Any profile to go on?”

“It seems we are looking for a white male between the ages 30-45. There are no other physical attributes, however there are some personality traits that I can deduce.”

“Well, let’s hear what you’ve got, J.”

“Our suspect needs to be quite intelligent and determined, with the ability to keep calm in various stressful situations. There are also the added factors that point to him being employed, with his work allowing him time to spare.”

“There’s also the fact that he has a car. Since we know the model, that seems to be our strongest piece of evidence.” Tony straightens himself out on the chair and stretches out his back. “I think that’s it for now JARVIS. Save everything and you can stand idle for now. Thanks, buddy.”

“I live to serve, Sir.” And with that, the soft blue light fades away and Tony is left staring at the bulletin board in front of him. 

He reaches up to take off the glasses, and as soon as he slips them back into his coat pocket, there’s a sharp knock on the door. “Come in,” he calls out.

The door opens and Bucky is standing there, frowning. “Someone just came to report a missing kid. Steve’s with him right now, but I thought you’d wanna listen to his report.”

Tony can’t help the minute flinch that he gives. Bucky must have noticed because his gaze softens and he’s quick to reassure Tony. “We don’t know if it’s related to the Origami Killer. As far as we know, it could just be a runaway kid.” 

That does little to calm the knot that forms in the pit of his stomach, but Tony pushes himself out of his chair regardless. “Alright. Lead the way.”

Bucky leads him to the back of the station where he sees Steve sitting down with another man. Steve glances at them and nods. “This is Sergeant Barnes and Agent Stark. Mr. Parker-”

“Please, call me Ben.” 

“Of course. Ben, could you please tell them what happened?”

Ben squirms in his seat, clearly anxious. “It… This afternoon, I took my nephew, Peter, to the park after he got out of school. We played together for a while before he wanted to go onto the carousel. So I put him on one of the wooden horses and when I turned back,” he let out a shaky breath, “Pete was gone.”

“Exactly what time did you get to the park?” Bucky asks, leaning on the desk. 

“It was around 4:15. I checked the time when we got there, and the park isn’t that far from Peter’s school.” 

“Can you tell us what he was wearing?”

“He was wearing a red and blue hoodie and blue jeans.” 

Bucky sighs. “I don’t wanna sound judgy or anythin’, but how could Peter have disappeared? Weren’t you watching him?”

Ben just slumps in his chair and weakly replies, “there was a cart selling candy a little way off. I wanted to get him something before we had to leave. By the time I got the candy, the carousel had already stopped and Peter was gone.” He looks up to meet Bucky’s eyes. “I looked around the neighborhood, asking everyone in the park if they had seen him. When I got nothing, I came here.”

The more he listens to Ben Parker, the more Tony begins to doubt that this was just a case of a child running away from home. “Ben.” All eyes turn to him now. “Did Peter have any… difficulties? Anything that could have caused him to run away?” 

The other man shifts uneasily, but nods. “Peter’s parents passed away almost two years ago. He’s always been a sensitive kid, and I know he’s still trying to come to terms with losing them.”

“Is everything okay at his school? At... home?”

If Ben was offended by the implication of something being wrong with their home life, he didn’t show it. “Yes, he’s always excited coming back from school and he regularly has friends over. His teacher’s have said he’s an exceptionally bright student and he hasn’t run into any trouble. And at home… well, my wife and I try our best to take care of him. Give him the love and support he needs.” 

“Where is Ms. Parker now?”

“She wanted to wait at home, just in case Peter comes back.” He lowers his head, staring at the desk between them. “But I _know_ Peter. He wouldn’t have gone off without telling me. He wouldn't have left _at all_.”

“Alright,” Bucky starts, his voice soft. “I think that’s all the questions we have for now. We’ll have officers search for Peter, and we’ll contact you if we have any more questions.”

Ben hesitates, his eyes shifting between the three of them before leaning in. “Do.. do you think the Origami Killer…?”

Tony reaches to rest his hand on the other man’s shoulder. “We don’t have any evidence that leads to that conclusion right now,” he says warmly. “As far as we can tell, Peter ran away. The best you can do right now is go home and wait until we find him or Peter goes back on his own, okay?” 

“Okay.” Tony’s hand slips away from his shoulder, but the other man catches it in his own. “Thank you so much, Agent Stark.” Ben turns towards Bucky. “And you too, Sergeant Barnes.”

Tony smiles. “It’s no problem. I know we’ll find him.”

Ben gives them a weak smile, before letting go of Tony’s hand and walking away.

Bucky moves to stand beside Tony as they both watch Ben leave the station. He hears Bucky let out a soft sigh, before he quietly asks, “what if it is the Origami Killer?”

Tony tilts his head so that he’s meeting Bucky’s eyes. “Then we’ve got about four days to find Peter Parker alive,” Tony replies grimly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have I decided to continue this? Yes. Do I have any of this planned out? No. Will everything turn out fine? Debatable. 
> 
> All mistakes are my own, as always.


	3. Kick Off Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You said it took six inches of rainfall before the victim died. How much time do we have left?”
> 
> If that isn’t the million-dollar question. Swallowing thickly, Tony replies, “if the weather forecasts are right… we have less than 72 hours.”
> 
> There is an immediate drop in the atmosphere as his words sink in. There is a silent tension, everyone in the room sharing glances with each other with a collective understanding of just how dire the situation is. 
> 
> Less than 72 hours. Less than 3 days to find a man that no one has been able to capture in two years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is Clint kinda an asshole in this chapter? Yes. Will I touch upon that later? Also yes.
> 
> Written for StarkBucks Bingo!
> 
> Title: Burning In The Skies  
> Collaborator Name: Pariscores  
> Square Filled: B5 - Tension  
> Ship/Main Pairing: Winteriron  
> Rating: T  
> Major Tags & Triggers: Heavy Rain AU, Serial Killers, No Powers, Police, Federal Agents, Child Death  
> Summary:  
> “You said it took six inches of rainfall before the victim died. How much time do we have left?”
> 
> If that isn’t the million-dollar question. Swallowing thickly, Tony replies, “if the weather forecasts are right… we have less than 72 hours.”
> 
> There is an immediate drop in the atmosphere as his words sink in. There is a silent tension, everyone in the room sharing glances with each other with a collective understanding of just how dire the situation is. 
> 
> Less than 72 hours. Less than 3 days to find a man that no one has been able to capture in two years.
> 
> Word Count: 3,814

**_Monday_ **

**_9:31 AM_ **

**_1.836 inches_ **

* * *

“The killer is white, aged between 30 and 45,” Tony explains, clicking through the slideshow he has projected onto the wall thanks to JARVIS. “He doesn't act on impulse but plans his crimes in a very meticulous fashion. He doesn't have anything personal against the victims. That's why he covers their faces with mud, to make them anonymous.”

Steve raises his hand, and after Tony nods his head in acknowledgment, asks, “why does he kill them if he doesn’t have anything against them?”

Tony stops his pacing and leans against the wall. “For him, they're more of an image, a symbol. That's probably why he gives them an origami figure and an orchid, as gifts to apologize for what he's done to them.”

“And where does all that get us?” Bucky pipes up, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“It builds up a profile of the killer and helps us understand the person we’re looking for,” Tony explains. “The best way to track a predator is to be familiar with their behavior.”

Another officer, Clint Barton if he remembers correctly, snorts from the back of the room. “That may be true in novels but there's a child's life at stake here-” He’s suddenly cut off as the woman beside him elbows Clint in the ribs, effectively shutting him up.

“Thank you, Romanoff.” Captain Fury rolls his eyes and gestures towards Tony. “Continue, Stark.”

Tony nods and clicks through to the next slide. “One detail attracted my attention. The interval between the time when a victim disappears and the time when the body is found ranges from three to five days - but the rainfall is always at 6 inches, give or take 10 percent.”

“And that means?”

“All victims were drowned in _rainwater,_ ” Tony points out. “The killer chooses his victims only in the summer when there is plenty of rain. It could be that he puts them in some sort of well or a tank that is open to the sky and that fills up with rainwater. The more it rains, the less time the victim has to live.”

He pulls up the next slide. “Then I studied the geographical distribution of the murders. Generally, a killer commits his first murder near to where he lives - so he has a safe place to flee to if any complications arise. The more confident he becomes, the further he roams from his base. By analyzing the locations where the victims disappeared, I was able to isolate a zone where the killer might live.”

“What size is this zone?” Romanoff asks.

“At the moment, about ten square miles.”

Bucky groans. “Shit, there must be tens of _thousands_ of people living in that sort of area. Where would we even start? It’s not like we can jus’ question ‘em one by one.”

“Yeah,” Tony sighs, “it may not give us the address of the killer but at least it's something to go on. The more clues we get, the more we can reduce the zone. We can then cross-check it with our list of suspects and identify the killer.”

Fury leans forward in his chair. “So, what’s next?”

“There are two suspects whose profiles might be connected to the comfort zone. I’d like to question them.”

“What if that just wastes our time? Time that we don’t have much of.” And, that’s Barton again.

Bucky turns to glare at the man. “Clint, knock it off. In case you haven’t noticed, this is the most we’ve had on the Origami Killer after _two years._ If it takes interrogating two suspects to finish this, then let the man _go for it._ ”

Before Clint can make a retort, Tony quickly adds, “this killer is no ordinary murderer. He is intelligent, organized, and methodical. You won't find him by patrolling the streets.”

Clint breaks eye contact with Bucky and scoffs. “Tell me, _Agent Stark._ Did you get your vast experience on the job, or did you just fucking read about it in a schoolbook?

“Your vast experience hasn't prevented eight victims from being murdered,” Tony snaps, his eyes narrowing before he takes a deep breath. “I came here to find the killer and that's exactly what I'm gonna do - with or without your help, _Officer Barton_.”

Barton just clenches his jaw shut and roughly pushes himself to stand. Aiming one last glare at Tony, he storms out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Tony hears Romanoff mutter a quiet “ _fuck,”_ under her breath before the room is plunged into silence. 

He hears Fury clear his throat, and Tony turns to look at the man, mind still reeling. “You said it took six inches of rainfall before the victim died. How much time do we have left?”

If that isn’t the million-dollar question. Swallowing thickly, Tony replies, “if the weather forecasts are right… we have less than 72 hours.”

There is an immediate drop in the atmosphere as his words sink in. There is a silent tension, everyone in the room sharing glances with each other with a collective understanding of just how dire the situation is. 

Less than _72 hours._ Less than _3 days_ to find a man that no one has been able to capture in _two years._

“Do we even know if there is a victim right now?” Romanoff asks, breaking the silence.

Tony meets Bucky’s eyes and watches as understanding and anger fill his features. 

“There is a high probability. Yesterday we got a report for a missing child, nothing about the kid made him seem like the type to run away.”

“So if the killer already has someone, what’s the kid’s name?” Officer Wilson piped up. He had been silent throughout the meeting.

Tony has JARVIS pull up the kid’s profile. “Peter Parker, age 8 and last seen in Forest Park in Queens yesterday at around 4:30 to 5:00 p.m on the carousel. He lives with his aunt and uncle who have custody over him. His uncle, Ben Parker, was the one who reported him missing after he couldn’t find Peter anywhere in the park or surrounding areas.”

“Okay, where do we start?” Steve asks.

“As I said, there are two people I’d like to question. The sooner the better.”

“Alright,” Fury starts as he pushes himself off his chair, “you and Barnes start with that. Wilson, take Barton and patrol the streets. If there is a chance that Parker isn’t a victim, we still need to find him and make sure he returns home. Romanoff and Rogers, stay on standby in case Stark and Barnes require assistance.” He clasps his hands together behind his back and nods. “Dismissed.”

As everyone shuffles out of the room, Tony starts unplugging JARVIS from the projector. He can feel Bucky’s eyes linger on him, and after slipping his glasses back into his pocket, he looks up to meet the other man’s gaze. 

“You okay?” Bucky asks, surprisingly gentle.

Tony eyebrows furrow. “What do you mean?” 

“Clint was sayin’ some pretty nasty things, and you seemed kinda tense,” he says slowly, shrugging. “I dunno, jus’ wanted to make sure you were okay.” 

“Aw, Buckaroo I didn’t know you cared so much,” Tony jokes.

Bucky snorts. “Okay, don’t be an asshole.”

Tony lets out a small laugh. “Alright, alright. But yeah, I’m fine. Believe me, I’ve heard worse.” Mainly from his father, but Bucky didn’t need to listen to Tony’s daddy issues right now. That was more of a personal problem, really.

“Ya’ know, I think I can believe that.” So can Tony.

“Wow,” Tony scoffs, “who’s the asshole _now_?” 

The other man hums. “I’d say it’s debatable. Give it some time.”

“Can do,” Tony says with a wink. “Now come on! We have people to see, murderers to catch.”

“You sound way too excited about this.”

“Yeah, whatever Barney. Your car or mine?” 

“ _Don’t_ call me that.”

* * *

**_Monday_ **

**_10:43 AM_ **

**_1.839 inches_ **

“I’m just saying. If we took my car, we would’ve been there by now.”

“Right,” Bucky snorts, eyes still on the road ahead of him. “And how many traffic laws would we have broken if you’d been drivin’? 20?”

Tony scoffs. “Uh, _no._ ” He leans back in his seat. “Maybe closer to 10. 13 at _most._ ”

“You’re an idiot.”

“And you’re grumpy.”

Bucky huffs out a laugh but doesn't comment further. 

Smiling, Tony rests his head against the cool window and closes his eyes. He can vaguely hear the low hum of the radio which seems to be almost completely drowned out by the pattering of rain against the car and the sounds of New York traffic. 

He lets out a yawn, suddenly feeling the ever-present exhaustion weigh over him. When was the last time he had actually _slept well_? The last time he can remembers was back at MIT when he was _16._ More than 10 years ago.

Well, shit. Maybe he should try and fix that? After the case is solved of course. He can’t stop now, not when there is a child’s life at stake.

Tony hadn’t even noticed he had dozed off until he felt a warm hand on his shoulder. And actually, the weight feels really nice. It-

_Ow!_

He jumps in his seat, a hand immediately flying to cover his bicep. He turns to glare at Bucky who is just staring at him unimpressed.

“Did you just hit me?” Tony gasps. “I’m hurt.”

“We’re here,” he says, a smirk pulling at his lips. “And I didn’t even hit you that hard.”

“My bruised arm would say otherwise.”

“Aw, do you want me ta’ kiss it better?”

“I mean-”

“Yeah, no.”

“Rude.”

“Whatever,” Bucky chuckles as he kills the ignition and pockets his keys. “Now get out.”

“I bet you treat all the ladies this well,” Tony grumbles, unbuckling his seatbelt.

Bucky snorts. “Just the annoying ones.”

“You just say the nicest things.”

Bucky opens his door and climbs out. He turns back and crouches down so that he’s facing Tony, who is still sitting inside. He tilts his head and with a smile, says, “I try,” before slamming the door shut.

Sighing loudly, Tony releases the hatch and opens the passenger side door. He steps out of the car and stretches his arms over his head. After hearing a satisfying _pop_ coming from his back, Tony lets his arms drop and straightens out his coat as he walks around the car to join Bucky. He looks up at the sky, where the rain has slowed to a slight drizzle and breathes in the scent around him. 

The air is musky, yet so _New York_ and brings back _so many memories_ that he doesn’t really want to unpack.

So instead, he just squares his shoulders and makes his way across the street. He can hear Bucky’s footsteps pattering on the pavement behind him, a steady and constant reminder that he isn’t alone in this. 

He stands in front of the apartment complex as Bucky stops beside him. Raising a gloved hand, Bucky wipes a circle in the dirty residue of one of the front windows. The other man attempts to peer inside, but can't see anything through the multiple spiderweb-like cracks in the thick, foggy glass. He steps back from the window and looks up and down the street. The crumbling red brick buildings, dank alleyways, and boarded up windows spoke volumes about the kinds of tenants that likely live in this area. 

Tony continues past Bucky, walking up the three concrete steps leading to the front door. Layers of light brown peeling paint are flaking off, revealing more multiple colored layers underneath. He takes note of the 6 rusted mailboxes hanging haphazardly next to the front door. The name _Laufeyson_ was typed with a label maker on a cheap sticker and clung precariously on mailbox number 4. “Looks like we’ve got the right address. Loki Laufeyson, apartment number 4. Probably on the second floor. 

Bucky steps up and opens the door. Security was clearly not the landlord’s top priority as there was no buzzer system at the front entrance. He holds the door open and gestures with gloved hand into the foyer. “Ladies first,” Bucky quips, smirking.

Tony rolls his eyes. “Wow, real mature,” he drawls. Nonetheless, he slips inside the doorway.

“What would you know about being mature, doll?"

“Careful there, the asshole meter is tipping in your direction.”

“Only tipping? Guess I have ta’ try harder.”

With a snicker, Tony starts making his way up the stairs, the dirty blue carpet threadbare underneath his shoes. His footsteps sound heavy against the hollow steps, in tune with the high pitched creaking coming from the old wood beneath him. 

When they get to the top of the second landing, Tony spots the number 4 tacked on an apartment door. Bucky leans against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest, while Tony steels himself and knocks on the solid wooden door a couple of times. No answer. Tony waits for a few beats and then turns and looks back at Bucky. The other man just returns Tony’s stare and shrugs. _Wow, so helpful._

Tony turns back to the door, squinting at the number to make sure they got the right apartment. He looks back at Bucky, who is taking in their surroundings, and then turns and knocks on the door again. Still nothing. “No answer, we wasted our time coming here,” he says, turning away from the apartment door. He takes a step back and puts his hands on his hips.

Bucky groans and pushes himself off the wall. He pauses, eyeing the door. “Stark, ‘bout how sure are you that this guy is a lead?”

“He was one of the only promising ones…” Tony replies, trailing off at the end.

The taller man seems to take something into consideration before straightening himself out. “Well then,” he starts, “maybe we should have a look inside.” He nods his head toward the apartment.

“But there’s nobody home,” Tony says, confusion evident on his features.

Bucky slowly unfolds his arms, and walks up to the door, the dim light filtering in through the dirty windows, casting his large shadow against the wall. With one swift movement, Bucky kicks his leg up and busts the door wide open. 

Tony blinks in shock, taking an involuntary step backward. 

“There is now,” Bucky says, walking into the now open apartment.

“I’m not sure that’s entirely legal,” Tony interjects, still standing in the hallway.

Bucky sticks his head out of the doorway. “Call the cops,” he replies calmly and returns back inside the apartment.

“Your sense of irony amazes me,” Tony mutters. Well, the door was _already_ open, so… He looks back down the stairwell to make sure that no one has witnessed their, uh, _entry_ and then steps inside the apartment.

The sight that befell Tony’s eyes was another disturbing matter. As if the tiny three-room apartment wasn’t small enough - relics littered the walls and every available surface. Their presence created a crowded, claustrophobic feeling as Tony stood in the foyer. Bucky had already begun to walk around the living room area. “Looks like Loki Laufeyson is a pretty religious guy,” Tony says, stating the obvious.

“Yeah, we questioned him a few months back ‘cause he was causin’ a disturbance in the park,” Bucky shares, pacing back and forth. Tony reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out his glasses. He slips them on, JARVIS immediately coming online and giving him a warm greeting. He begins to investigate the apartment as Bucky continues, “he just kept ranting some kinda nonsense. Tried to get the whole park to kneel before him.”

“Seems like a fun guy,” Tony hums, crouching down beside a simple wooden bench that held various knick-knacks and candles. “Bet he’s _great_ at parties.” JARVIS returns data about Loki Laufeyson - his date of birth, how long he’s been a resident, the names of his family along with their birthdays and addresses. It seems that he’s been detained by the police twice already, but had been released both times with no convictions due to a lack of evidence. _So far, nothing is linking Loki to the Origami Killer._

Tony scans the religious artifacts hanging on the walls and ceiling. “JARVIS, make a note. All the signs of a mystical obsessive neurosis, compounded by a persecution complex.”

Tony follows Bucky into the bedroom. More artifacts are strewn about, and dozens of lit candles flicker in the musty room. He raises a hand and smooths it over the rotting wood, noticing the scrawling writing. “JARVIS, the walls are covered with writing. Analyze it, will you?”

“Of course, Sir.” JARVIS highlights the text written on the wall. “The writing resembles multiple passages pertaining to Norse Mythology.”

Huh, you don’t see that every day. “Thanks, buddy.” Tony continues to follow Bucky deeper into the apartment, watching as Bucky slowly turns the doorknob to the bathroom. Bucky briefly sticks his head inside the room and then continues down the hallway towards the kitchen. Tony enters the bathroom and opens the medicine cabinet, sweeping his hand casually over the pill bottles inside. JARVIS pulls up a scrolling list of doctor's names, medications, and ailments. _Paranoid delusion is likely a contributor to his psychotic public outbursts._

More medicine bottles litter the top of the fridge and countertops as Tony makes his way into the kitchen where Bucky is staring out a window. “This guy is taking a break from reality. Holed up here in this crazy apartment.”

He hears Bucky scoff. “Ya’ think?”

“I’m just thinking out loud,” Tony sniffs. “Don’t question my methods.”

“Whatever!”

Rolling his eyes, Tony walks back out into the living room and stands to stare at the walls of writing. He rests his chin on his hand and thinks. _You don’t have to be a profiler to see that he’s not connected to the case, let alone a killer. We wasted our time here._ Deep in thought, Tony didn’t hear or see the man make his way up the staircase and inside the apartment. 

Loki stops in shock when he sees Tony inside his home and drops the paper bag he’s carrying to the floor, groceries spilling out. He begins to take a few quiet steps toward Tony, but Bucky comes out of the Kitchen at that precise moment. 

“Good morning, Loki,” Bucky greets, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the doorframe. Loki whips around at the sound of Bucky’s voice. “We were, uh, looking for you…”

Loki begins to back away from Bucky, moving into the living room, closer to Tony. “You shouldn’t be in here.” 

Tony takes off his glasses and tucks them back inside his coat pocket. “I’m Agent Tony Stark. FBI,” Tony says softly to the other man. “I’d like to ask you a few questions.” Loki spins around and faces Tony, his hands clasped together anxiously in front of him. The man was clearly agitated and frightened, and Tony didn’t want to spook him any further. 

“I haven’t done anything wrong,” Loki states. “I am innocent.”

“Relax,” Bucky soothes, attempting to calm the man down. “Nobody’s accusin’ you of anythin’. We jus’ wanna talk.” He makes his way around to the other side of the room as Tony takes a step closer to Loki.

“Where do you work, Loki? Do you have a job?” Asks Tony.

“My sole occupation is to provide humanity with what they crave,” explains Loki, nervously clenching his hands into fists at his sides. “I have been burdened with glorious purpose.”

Deciding that that was a _bit much_ to unpack right now, Tony moved on. “Loki, do you remember where you were last Tuesday at 4:30 pm?”

“I was here reading. I was here all day.”

“Was there anybody here with you?”

“No, no I was alone.”

Well, alright. That wasn’t really much, so he might as well ask now. “What did you mean by providing humanity with what they crave?”

“It's the unspoken truth of humanity, that they crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom diminishes their life's joy in a mad scramble for power, for identity,” the anxious man explains, grasping one hand timidly with the other. “Humanity was made to be ruled!” 

“Why do you believe that, Loki?” Bucky pipes up, caution written on his expression. “Did someone tell you that?”

Loki sheepishly looks down at the floor and shakes his head. “I can’t talk about it. You mustn't talk about it.”

“What can’t we talk about?”

Loki just continues to shake his head. “No…”

Bucky takes a step toward Loki. “Alright, calm down. We don’t have to talk about it anymore.” Another step. “We’re just here to talk about a case. Do you know anything about the Origami Killer, Loki?”

Loki stiffens, his shoulders tense. “Men like that are what is wrong with this world,” he spits. “Humans slaughter each other in droves, while those like you stand idly by. This species needs order, a means to be ruled.”

“You think you’re above them- _us_?” Tony asks.

Loki scoffs. “Of course. My purpose is to bring humanity onto its knees, rule them so they may prosper.”

Tony chances a glance towards Bucky, who meets his gaze with his own steel eyes and shrugs. Huh. Seems like they both don’t know what to do with this. 

However, Loki seems harmless enough, so Tony doesn’t think there is any _real_ threat right now. He thinks the local police just have to keep an eye on him for any more public disturbances. 

“Right. Well, that’s all the questions we have for you,” Tony begins, making his way towards the exit. “Thanks for your cooperation. Barnes, let’s go.”

Bucky nods and with one last glance at Loki, leaves the room. “Okay, have a good day Mr. Laufeyson. Oh, and uh, sorry about the door. We’ll… we’ll send someone to fix it.” And with that, he hurriedly rushes out the apartment and down the stairs. He can feel Loki’s sharp eyes on his back the whole way, and shivers. Yeah, that’s not creepy _at all._

Tony finally makes it outside, back into the rain. He sees Bucky waiting in the car, and jogs over. He smoothly slips into the passenger seat and heaves a sigh before buckling his seatbelt.

“That went well,” Bucky comments after a beat.

“Yeah, sure,” Tony replies listlessly. “We got _so much_ from Mr. Rock of Ages back there.”

There is a moment of silence before Bucky’s bark of laughter fills the air. “Shit, that’s a good one.”

“I try,” Tony beams. “Now come on, Bucky Bear. We have work to do.”

“Bucky Bear? That’s the worst one yet.”

“I think it suits you!"

“Right,” the sergeant huffs. “Whatever.”

“Oh, and we also need to call someone to fix Loki’s door…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so late! July is a really busy month for my family. I'm hoping the next chapter will be up sooner. And thanks for 1k hits!

**Author's Note:**

> This bitch is to be continued now. Anyways, thanks for reading and please leave kudos and comments! 
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr @pariscores.


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